Seneca students take an icy plunge for charity

April 15, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
The weather sat just around the freezing point when 13 people took a dip in the icy waters of Lake Seneca recently.
They weren’t simply adrenaline seekers – they raised money for Seneca College’s Campaign for Students, an annual initiative to help raise funds for students in financial need.
“Essentially, our goal is to make sure that no student has to leave the college for financial reasons,” said Katie Colvin, stewardship officer at Seneca.
Those involved said the connectivity of the charity to the college was a major factor in the amount of support it received.
“This is our staple event for King Campus,” said Justin Boudreau, Child and Youth Care Program Coordinator at Seneca. “Our students can relate, like most college students, to a need for funds to further their study.”
“It’s amazing how people come together in support of students,” said Colvin.
The 13 brave souls that took to the chilly water collected more than $1,000 for the campaign, taking pledges from family and friends, many of whom showed up to cheer them on as they jumped.
Boudreau made the dip for the third year in a row, and said that it’s not something your body can ever get used to.
“Your body just reacts so harshly to the water. But it’s fun, it’s exciting, and most importantly it gets the students excited about the campaign.”
Nicole Frost was a student who made the dip, having worked up the courage to try it before leaving Seneca at the end of the school year.
“It was absolutely freezing, but I don’t regret it. You just have to think what it’s for … the cause itself is worth it.”
The full campaign runs throughout the months of March and April, and includes other events such as bake sales, rummage sales, and fun fairs. The ultimate goal of the campaign this year is to raise $80,000.